Sleigh attachment.



c. J. FUSSN ER SLEIGH ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I. s

Q n m T a M a Q m w m 4 Patented une 5, 1917 T 61.]. FUSSNER.

SLEIGH ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-9| 19m.

. PatentedJuhEflQlT.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- nle C. J. FUSSNER.

swan ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED AUG.9. 1916.

Lzzepa, Patented June 5, 1917.

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. 0 v M o N N m N atto'm M CHARLES J. FUSSNER, 0F BRIMFIELID, ILLINOIS.

SLEIGH ATTACHMENT.

Application filed August 9, 1916. Serial No. 114,051.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES J. FUssNnR, acitizen of the United States, residing at Brimfield, in the county ofPeoria and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful lm n'ovementsin Sleigh Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a sleigh attachment, and more particularly tothe class of motor car sleigh attachments.

The primary ob'ect of the invention is the provision of an attachment ofthis character wherein it can be, used upon the ordinary automobile tothus convert the same into an automobile sleigh without making itnecessary to remove the wheels thereof. A

Another object of the invention is the provision 'of an attachment ofthis character wherein the operator can, at his option, convert theautomobile for travel either upon snow or ice or upon uncovered groundand when traveling upon snow or ice the'wheels of the automobile will beelevated above the same, yet the power from the motor within theautomobile will be utilized for driving the same as a sleigh.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an attachment ofthis character wherein the construction thereof novel in form so that itcan be readily applied to any style of automobile without the removal ofthe wheels therefrom, although said wheels can be dispensed with shouldit be desired. The attachment, when applied, does not require any changeor alteration in the construction of the automobile and the same will bedriven in the usual manner The invention accordingly consists in thefeatures of construction, combination of ele- 'ments and arrangement ofparts which 'will be exemplified in the construction hereinafterdescribed, and the scope of the appli cation of which will be indicatedin the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 1s a side elevation of anautomobile showing the attachment constructed in accordance with theinvention ready for use;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, with the attachment in position for disuse;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view taken atthe point of one of the front wheel turning knuckles;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View through one of the, hubs of therear wheels;

Fig. 8 is a detail View of one of the knuckle joints for the frontsteering wheels;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates generally the body ofan automobile whichmay be of any approved form; B, the front axle; C,the rear stationary axle, while on the front axle are the turningknuckles a. The latter, together with the rear stationary axle C areprovided with suitable wheel spindles on which are arranged the frontand rear wheels D and E respectively, it being understood, of course,that the automobile in its entirety is of the ordinary well knownconstruction and the rear wheels are driven from a motor F through thetransmission mechanism as usual, while the front Wheels are steered inthe ordinary well known manner for the guiding of the automobile whenoperated.

The automobile shown and described serves merely to illustrate theapplication and the mode of operation of the sled attachment hereinafterfully described.

The sled attachmenttcomprises front and rear runners 10 and 11,respectively, which are similarly constructed and are adapted for travelupon the ice and snow. Each runner 1O and ll has suitable bearing 12 forsupporting the cooperating levers 13 of suitable lifting jacks whichareconnected to the spindles of the front and rear axles and are capableof manual adjustment. Each front lifting jack has connected there withthe pairs of inverted substantially U- shaped yokes b, one of each pairbeingpiv- ,oted to an extension on each knuckle oint (1, while the otheris swingingly supported at the pivot point of said knuckle, and at thesepivot points are connected through the medium of asuitable ball andsocket joint the arcuate shaped arms 6, while the yokes-of each pair arepivotally connected together through the medium of the links d, andconnected to the arms a and to the rear lifting jack are actuating rods14 which are also pivoted to cranks f of a shaft 15 common thereto andsuitably mounted in. the frame of the automobile. The shaft 15 isoperated by a hand released throw lever 16 disposed in convenient reachof the operator of the automobile so that the jack can be simultaneouslymoved for the raising or a lowering of the wheels D and E and likewisethe runners 10 and 11 so that alternately the same may be brought intoactive or inactive. position relative to the surface over which theautomobile is to travel.

Detachably bolted to the rear wheels are beveled gears 17 which arelocated on the in= ner sides thereof concentrically of the hubs of thesaid wheel fixed to the stationary axle C, and rising therefrom is asupporting frame 18 having therein bearings 19 in whidh are journa'leddriven shafts 2 0,having connection through the medium of pinions 21with the gears 17', the pinions being adapted for slidable movement tothrow .the same into and out of meshing engagement with said gears, andthese shafts also have connection with gears 22 for meshing engagementwith a pinion 23 fixed to the stud shaft 26 of a bladed propeller wheel25, the stud shaft 26 being journaled in a bearing 24 formed in saidframe, and this pro peller wheel 25 is located or spaced rearwardly fromthe frame and is designed to drive the sleigh attachment when theautomobile is converted into a sleigh.

It will be obvious that motion from the rear wheels D will betransferred therefrom tothe propeller shaft 26 for the driving thereofwhen the pinions 21 are meshing .with the gears 17 on said wheel. Thepinions 21 are thrown into and out of engagement with the gears 17through the medium of a shifting mechanism 27 which is hand operable andextends to a point convenient to the operator of the automobile so thatthe pinions 21 -can be thrown out of mesh j with the gears 17 or intomesh therewith,

thereby rendering the propeller wheel inactive oractive, the propellerwheel being-inactive, when'the automobile is used in the ordinary mannerand the'runners areelevated from the surface: over which the wheels ofthe automobile'traveh By reason of the size of gears and pinions it willbe noted that'the same'serve as a multiplying gearing for the propellerwheel 25 so that the same will rotate at the proper speed for assuringthe advancement of the automobile when converted into a sleigh. Themotor of the automobile is stopped and started and the speed controlledin the ordinary well known manner.

In the operation of the attachment, when the lever 16 is thrownin onedirection the the wheels D and E-will be lowered to the ground and therunners 10 and 11 elevated therefrom so that the automobile can be usedin the ordinary, well known manner, as will be obvious.

It is of course to be understood that the)- disclosure in the drawingsand the foregoing description illustrate and delineate but a concreteform of the invention, it being contemplated to change, vary or alterthe con? struction of the invention in any and all of its details as maycome properly within the scope of the appended claims Withoutdepartingfrom the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any features oradvantages.

connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction andoperation of the herein described sleigh attachment will be apparentand, therefore, a more extended explanation has been omitted.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a motor vehicle, of front and rear wheelrunners, lifting From the foregoing description, taken in jackspivo-tally mounted on the axles of the 4 vehicle, an operating member,connections between the operating member and the lifting jacks, saidconnections extending out- I wardly beyond the rear wheels of the vehicle and inwardly of the front wheels of the vehicle, a pivotalconnectionbetween each lifting jack and the rear portion of the runneradjacent thereto and a bodily movable connection between each liftingjack and the forward portion of the runner adjacent thereto. i I

2. The combination with a motor vehicle, of front and rear wheelrunners, lifting jacks pivotally mounted on the axles motor vehiclebeyond the wheels,

I an operatmg member,

connections fromsaid member of the vehicle and inwardly of the forward"wheels thereof, said 'connect ion sextending to the jacks, directpivotal connections be-' tween each jack and therearportion of the ofthe extending outwardly from the rear wheels eeeeee runner odjocelotthereto, "bowiil movable f members connecting each jack wnbh the for:-

ord portion of ihe runner adjacent (sheeeto, said bodily movable membersof the foe Ward runners being pivotelly supported from ehe knuckles ofthe front wheels of the veiiielii. I

3. The oombineeion with a motor vehicle, of forwerd sielgh runnerstheiefor, jacks gpivotefiy mounted on the forward vehicle exlee beyondthe wheels, said; jacks having x'eerwardly-extending arms pivotolly conemeeted flothe rear portions of the runner and for werdly-extenrlingarms, links connecting the forwardly-extending arms to the forwardportions of the runners, ii-shaped members extending from the, j acksover the wheels and Ewingingli connected to the lknueklojoint, operatingconnections leading from said U-sheped members and eddiiiionelill-shaped members pivotelly connected to the links and to :1 projectionfrom the steering knuckles of the Wheels.

' In testimony whereofl affix my signature.

ee eees JI. eeesme.

